RAM? ROM? Nvidia? AMD? Mac? Samsung? Wading through what means in desktop computing can be overwhelming, especially if you’re not a techie. Let’s check out the basics so you can start hunting for a new computer with confidence.
Have an iPhone? Use Mac
This might come across as a bit of a blanket statement, but if you already have Apple products and you are not a techie then it’s best to stay with Apple products. While Mac desktops can be more expensive than their PC counterparts, the way that Apple products work together is almost seamless. It’s called the ‘Apple Ecosystem’ and it works as expected almost 100% of the time. This makes for far less frustration (and tech troubleshooting) for you later on down the track.
Apple is dedicated to making all their devices work together well – and not with the other brands. Whereas for the other brands, you might have a Samsung phone and an Asus computer and the two aren’t necessarily easy to work across or sync. While there are plenty of handy modules and apps dedicated to ‘not Apple’ products, for ease of use, if you have an iPhone go with a Mac.
Decide what you’ll be using it for
What will you be using your desktop for? This will determine what sort of specs you will need to support it. For instance, if you’re mainly using it to start a small business, perhaps working across Google sheets, documents, and an online project management tool like Asana, you won’t require anything too powerful – which is the type of processor and number of processors. If you intend to store everything in the cloud, you won’t need that much persistent storage, like an extra SSD, in your computer. If you want to do high-quality video editing, you will require a significant investment into a graphics card.
Apart from factoring in features that’ll help you browse the web for work or uni purposes, you might also want to use your PC to play some no deposit online slots. And while this may not be a top priority, dedicating some time to yourself, to’restart’ and recharge your own batteries shouldn’t be overlooked. Getting in some good chillax time and unwinding never hurt anyone, and if you’re going to relax why not do it the right way?
Once you write down what you are going to use your computer for you will be able to start determining what components are important to look at – or explain these to someone at the shop to be able to advise you best. If you want to DIY it, have a look on YouTube and Reddit for ‘Best Desktop for X’ and set your timeframe for videos and posts created within the past year.
Resist the urge to customize your desktop at a click
Some websites allow you to add in almost any customization you wish when you’re purchasing a laptop. So, you might be excited because you can choose a top-of-the-line graphics card and play games, sweet!
Not so fast. Desktops are built purposefully and swapping out different components can have an effect on other internal systems. That top-of-the-line graphics card may require a stronger fan to help draw away heat. If a seller’s website isn’t scrupulous enough in its sales process, you won’t get a warning to tell you how one component interacts with another.
If you are dead set on customizing a desktop for any given reason then it’s a good idea to pick up the phone and have a chat to the supplier about what you want to achieve. You’ll very likely find they’re more than willing to help with your requirements and the best way to put things together safely. Cutting corners can lead to serious issues that are easily avoided.
Consider your peripherals
When you purchase your desktop it may or may not come with any peripherals: items like a screen, mouse, keyboard, and speakers. Having a desktop rock up on your doorstep and no way to use it can be mind-melting, especially if you have gone to the top of your budget already. Be aware of what is and what is not included with any desktop purchase and select these items carefully too, to make sure that you have the right ports available on your new desktop computer.
With peripherals, it can often save a lot of money buying second-hand. Many people put their slightly older peripherals up on Facebook Marketplace or eBay when they are upgrading or moving house and no longer need them. Depending on what you are looking for, you can oftentimes find something that’s a year old for half of the cost of what it would be new. For the more adventurous, you can even purchase a whole desktop. Always be wary when conducting large transactions online or even in person with strangers. Make sure the seller has plenty of good feedback from other people and do not carry a large amount of cash on you.
